What the Silence Left
by Quicksylverbtgh
Summary: AU...How Lother destroyed Ops the second time, Hunter got his groove back, and Dustin kicked butt. A continuation of "What the Mountain Heard" and "What the Thunder Said."
1. Chapter 1

"What the Silence Left"

"What the Silence Left"

-a continuation of "What the Mountain Heard" and "What the Thunder Said"

Dustin's fingers flew over a shorn scalp. He did it again and again until his hand was tingling from the sensation of bristles of hair passing by. The rest of him was caught up in Shane's kiss, but his hands were quickly becoming addicted to tugging on short, dark hair.

Shane's kiss, now wasn't that a surprise. Dustin had never thought of Shane beyond their friendship. Shane was his best friend and sometimes ally against Tori. He had never looked to find the kind of heat in their relationship that had been sparked by a silly dare. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Dustin thought, following each thank you with a kiss to Shane's neck. He felt Shane start to pull away. Dustin almost followed suit, but then he licked his lips out of force of habit. There was a salty taste there that he really liked. He bent his head back down to Shane's neck and licked a long strip from his collarbone to his chin, wanting a better taste. Rather than moving away, now Shane crushed Dustin to him, his own hands finding a home in Dustin's unruly curls.

"Dustin," Shane moaned.

Cam half dragged, half carried a semi-conscious Hunter to their room. Why had they chosen the one farthest from the main room, he thought as his shoulders started to ache in protest. Oh yeah, privacy. Cam decided there must be some way to sufficiently soundproof a room that was closer.

Tori looked over at Blake who was dozing lightly, hands piled under his head. She thought about packing up the picnic lunch scattered around their blanket, but decided it could wait. A short roll later and she was curled into Blake's side. The slow thump of the heartbeat under her ear quickly lulled her in to her own light snooze. 'The perfect end to the perfect date,' was her last conscious thought before slipping down into sleep.

"Hunter!" Blake shot straight out of a deep sleep. For a moment he was disoriented and panicked. One hand clutched over his heart to slow down the frantic beating. He was too old to have a heart attack, he was too old to have a heart attack, he reminded himself.

"Blake?" Tori asked. He was starting to scare her. His normally dark olive skin was a pasty white color and he was clutching his chest as if he was in pain. He was too young to have a heart attack, right?

"Tori." Blake finally got his eyes to focus on something besides that horrible pain in his chest. With something else to focus on, his heartbeat gradually slowed down. He slumped back down to the ground in relief. He felt her cool hand wiping across his forehead and opened his eyes to reassure her. "I'm okay. Just a bad dream."

"Blake Bradley, you scared the crap out of me." She punched him in the shoulder.

"Owww!" Blake laughed and tried to roll out of range. "Haven't you ever heard the phrase, 'Hit like a girl'?

"Have you ever heard the phrase 'sexist pig'?" She was quick to fire back.

They play fought their way off the blanket and on to the grass until Tori managed to get the upper hand. Blake wished he could have said that he let her get control of their positioning, but ever since she had become a teacher at the Wind Ninja Academy, she was more than Blake's equal at hand-to-hand combat. The victor was quick to claim her prize.

Tori sighed as she pulled away. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Blake's only answer was a shrug. "Do you mind going back?" When Tori responded with a questioning look, Blake didn't really have an answer for her. "I just feel like Hunter's done something stupid again."

"No problem." Tori pulled Blake to his feet and together they packed up their leftovers.

The huge blast of the entrance door being blown off its hinges shook the rest of Ninja Ops, knocking anything standing to its knees. Luckily, Shane and Dustin were already lying down. Shane was quick to put a hand over Dustin's mouth. Since they were still on the ground, their position was partially hidden by a low table. If they stayed quiet, that might buy them enough time to get away from whatever had decided to enter without knocking.

Brown eyes met brown over Shane's hand. Shane nodded at the floor behind Dustin's head. He watched as Dustin's eyes rolled back in his head slightly, like they always did when he was communing with the earth below him. Shane was worried that Dustin wouldn't be able to do this and the time Dustin was taking to check was eating away at the time they had before they were discovered.

Dustin finally focused his eyes back on Shane's and nodded. Shane never should have doubted him. The earth around here knew Dustin. Of course, he would be able to do more than normally possible. Shane raised a hand so that Dustin could see the countdown.

On three, the both of them sprang out from behind their cover. Dustin didn't waste any time looking for the enemy. Shane would cover him. Instead, he jerked his fist upwards and a pillar of earth burst through the tiled floor of Ninja Ops, showering them both with dirt. He heard Shane let off a blast of air before he pulled the other boy to him. With Shane wrapped securely in his arms, he pulled them both down into the soil he had recently uncovered. He wasn't fast enough to miss seeing a face that he thought was dead and buried.

When Shane and Dustin broke through in to Cam and Hunter's room, they interrupted a fight that had been raging since the explosion. Cam was trying to pull a nearly insensate Hunter off of the bed and out in to the corridor. Hunter was trying to yank his hand back, telling Cam to leave him, that he would do better without him.

"Lothor," the two boys exhaled in breathless pants.

Cam's increased fear gave him enough strength to get Hunter in to a standing position. "Help me move him."

Dustin and Shane each draped an arm over their shoulders. Even as tall as they were, Hunter's feet still dragged and he was still fighting to get away. "Get out of here you guys. Take Cam with you."

"Non-negotiable," Shane told him. "We're all leaving right now." Shane nodded over to Cam. "Is there another way to get out of here?"

"A ladder in the Zord bay." Dustin and Shane shared a look. Cam broke in, "We'll figure something out for Hunter. Let's go."

The path to the zord bay was barely lit by the auxiliary lights and it was slow going with Hunter propped up between Dustin and Shane. Cam walked ahead of the trio, his wooden practice sword in ready position. They had made a quick stop to grab some weapons from a practice room. After the last confrontation with Lothor, Cam had had his hands full rebuilding Ninja Ops. Repairing the surveillance systems and zords had taken priority over restocking the practice rooms so there hadn't been much for them to choose from. The boys had managed to collect a wooden sword apiece, along with a couple of dull throwing stars for Shane and a bo for Hunter. Their Ranger weapons had been lost with their powers and any personal weapons were kept in the one practice room that Cam had refurbished. Unfortunately, that practice room was just off of the main room, where Lothor had made his spectacular entrance.

The four were able to reach the zord bay without incidence, which Cam was thankful for. They might still have a chance to get out of here before Lothor figured out what they were up to. He quickly slid a palm over the security plate and stood back to let the doors clang open. He hadn't gotten around to fixing that either. Motioning the others forward, Cam spared a glance to check on Hunter. Some things had taken priority over Cam's list of repairs.

He quickly led them to the back corner of the zord bay where a ladder was hidden by Dustin's lion zord. Shane gave Hunter back to Cam while he climbed the ladder to check their escape hatch. Dustin was distracted, petting his old zord in greeting. "Hey, Lionell."

Cam ignored them both. He let Hunter slip down onto a parts crate so he could check him over. "Hunter? Can you look at me?"

When Cam didn't receive a response except for a grimace, he lifted one of Hunter's lids to check his pupils. Hunter tried to shove Cam away, but Cam was able to grab his flailing hands. "Move Cam!"

"We aren't going through this again," Cam told him as he moved closer to pin Hunter in place. "I'm not leaving you here."

Hunter tried to turn his head to the side, but Cam grabbed his chin and turned Hunter to face him. "Read my lips…" was all he managed to get out before Hunter threw up all down his front.

"Thanks."

Hunter barely managed a glare back. "Warned you."

"Yes, but 'move or I'll puke on you' might have been more effective." Cam frowned as he pulled his ruined gi jacket off. Luckily, Hunter had missed the shirt underneath. He started to help Hunter out of his when he noticed Hunter was shivering in the cold of the zord bay. "Dustin!"

"What's up?" Dustin appeared at their side.

"Give me your jacket."

Cam finished pulling off the soiled clothing and throwing it in an empty bin while Dustin wrapped Hunter in his old jean jacket. "Dude, you don't look so good."

"Don't feel so good."

"Well if you have to urp again, could you try to miss my jacket? I've had it like since forever and that smell never comes out."

Hunter laughed in spite of himself, which in turn made Cam smile. He clapped a hand on Dustin's shoulder to get his attention. "Can you grab me the work harness off of the tool bench?"

Dustin sketched a salute. "Can do, dude."

"How's the head?" Cam asked after Dustin left.

"Seeing spots is bad right?"

"It's not great. Do you think you're going to pass out?" He put a hand to Hunter's damp forehead. His fever was back.

"What do you need me to do Cam?"

"It depends. Are you going to pass out?"

"It's up for debate."

A loud thud landed next to them. "Cam, we may have a problem," Shane told him. "I can't get the hatch open."

"Take Dustin with you. He might be able to coerce it."

Cam turned back to Hunter while the other two clambered up the ladder. He bussed a kiss over Hunter's warm cheek. "I think we're going to have to use the harness." Between the two of them, they managed to get Hunter's legs through the correct holes and Cam tugged the rest of the harness into place rather than risk Hunter standing up. He then maneuvered the giant winch over to the ladder and started to hook the harness to the machine.

Halfway through the process, Dustin and Shane returned like twin shadows to stand over Cam's shoulder. "We can't get out that way Cam. The door is wedged shut somehow." Cam wrenched a tie tighter than necessary. It seemed Lothor knew them better than he thought.

"Let me try." Quick as he could, Cam scrambled up to the top of the ladder. It took him a moment to center himself like Hunter had taught him, but when he reached for the hatch, his hands almost glowed blue with the cold emanating from them. "Get clear," he yelled and the boys below him leapt away from the ladder. Half a second later, Cam felt the metal under his hands lurch. He jumped for the nearby winch chain as the shrunken hatch door fell through an opening that was now too big to hold it in place. All four ninjas winced at the noise the metal made breaking apart on the zord bay floor. Everyone held their breath to see if the crash would attract any attention from the invaders. They didn't have to wait long. Soon, heavy booted footsteps could be heard running through the halls toward them.

Shane was the first to react. He streaked to the door panel and slammed his hand over the access panel. The doors ground to a close, while Dustin pulled hard on the chain that was slowly moving Hunter up towards Cam's position at the top of the ladder. Shane soon joined him and together they managed to get Hunter within Cam's reach, just as several someones started to attack the reinforced steel doors of the zord bay.

"Cam," Hunter's face was white and strained, his head lolling on his shoulders.

Cam forced shaking hands to continue to extract Hunter from his harness. "Shut up." When he finally had Hunter free, he gave him to Shane to hold while he crawled through the opening to the outside air. A quick glance around confirmed that there had been no guard posted on this exit. It seemed Lothor's arrogance was working in their favor for once.

The skin around Shane's mouth was tight with worry when Cam took an unconscious Hunter from him. He laid out Hunter on the grass, while he helped Shane, then Dustin through the opening. Cam went to grab his emergency communicator out of his jacket, only to realize he had left it and the soiled jacket on the zord bay floor. Quickly, he began rifling through the hundred and one pockets that Hunter's uniform seemed to hide.

"Cam?"

"Terrific," Cam exclaimed. He pulled the small disc-like object out of the third pants pocket Cam checked. He held it up so the other two boys could see what he was doing. "We need to contact the others and warn them away. Tori and Blake also shouldn't be too far from here. They might be able to help." Cam didn't need to elaborate. All three sets of eyes turned to look at their unconscious fourth member.

"Alright," Shane said. "But we need to get out of this area before you do that. Lothor will be coming through here any minute."

"Sooner," Dustin murmured from his crouched position. One hand was buried in the earth, monitoring any activity in the area. "He just left the waterfall."

"Grab his feet," Cam told Shane. Together the two ex-rangers managed a shuffling run into the surrounding tree line. Dustin ran up front to scout ahead.

"Where are we going, Cam?"

Cam motioned vaguely with his shoulder. "There is a system of caves in the cliffs near the academy. I figure we can hole up in one of them until help arrives."

Behind them, they could hear snarling curses and breaking tree branches as someone struggled through the underbrush in pursuit. From the amount of noise they were making, it had to be several someones. They pushed themselves to go faster, but Hunter was a dead weight between them that was constantly snagging on low-hanging tree limbs and exposed roots.

When Cam stumbled for the third time, he simply dropped to the ground. His head was flung back while he tried to gasp in huge lungfuls of air. "You're going to have to go Shane. Take Dustin and go find Tori and Blake."

"Stupid plan, Cam," Shane's arms were crossed in a way that suggested he had only begun to be stubborn. "Not going to happen."

"Is it any dumber than staying together and letting Lothor capture all of us?"

"Rangers don't leave people behind." Resolutely, Shane bent down and grabbed hold of Hunter's feet again.

"We're not rangers anymore!" Cam screamed. Shane could see a gleam of wetness in his eyes and deep lines of frustration framing his mouth. "Go get help and come back for us. I will hide with Hunter until you can bring back reinforcements."

Shane shook his head and shifted his hands to get a better grip on Hunter. "There's no place to hide out here Cam."

"Please," Cam rested a palm over Hunter's forehead as if feeling for a temperature or avoiding having to look Shane in the eye. "Don't make me say it.'

"Christ," Shane swallowed hard. He felt more than saw Dustin rejoin them, his steady warmth a welcome glow near his shoulder. He turned to his best friend, needing another opinion. Dustin didn't look any happier than Shane felt, but moved over to grab at Hunter's middle.

"No" Cam pushed them away. "Get out of here." Tucking his body over Hunter's effectively blocked any attempt to grab Hunter again, as well as protected his lover from what was coming. A pulse of blue light formed around the two prone figures as a bitter chill grabbed the air from Dustin and Shane's lungs. Slowly it began to expand, forcing Dustin and Shane back and further away from their teammates. Shane could see the effort this was costing Cam. His face shone with sweat and his hands trembled where they clawed at the dirt. Another pulse and the below zero air forced the two back another step. "Go. Get. Help!"

Shane still tried to force his way through Cam's barrier. If nothing else, he could step through when Cam collapsed from the strain. He was willing to wait Cam out. Unfortunately, Lothor was not feeling quite so generous. The sound of kelzaks thrashing through the trees was unmistakably closer. Shane turned to Dustin in desperation. He didn't want to leave the two alone and out in the open, but Lothor would be here any minute now. Dustin nodded and reached again into the earth. A slow depression formed under Hunter and Cam, tall enough so that their heads were no longer visible. Shane nodded in understanding and then called his own power up to pull in leaves and small tree branches and dump them over the hole. It wouldn't be a perfect hiding place, but it was better than the two waiting in plain sight like a specially wrapped Christmas present for Lothor.

"We'll be back," Shane promised, but Cam was beyond hearing him at this point. Shane felt sick to his stomach, but left them then despite that. "Let's go," he snapped at Dustin. Together the two boys streaked out to where they thought their remaining two team members would be. Some days, Shane thought bitterly, it really sucked to be in charge.

This had started out as such a good day, Lothor thought to himself. How had it all gone so horribly wrong? He had broken out of the Abyss of Evil, crashed through Ninja Ops' defenses, only to come up empty-handed. No nephew, no brother, no annoying color-coded teenage brats to stick on a pike and flay, nothing. This was beginning to get irritating.

"Sir, we may have found something," Zurgane pointed to the leafy underbrush. Leaves were bent and branches broken in a pattern that suggested someone had been dragged through there recently. "One of them is injured."

"With any luck, it was brother dearest," Lothor had to smile. Well, that certainly put a spin on things. "Double-time it, Zurgane. I think we may finally get the reunion we have been planning for."

The kelzacs swarmed ahead in an angry buzz of red and black, but stopped when they reached the clearing a short ways ahead. Zurgane rushed to see what the problem was.

"Two sets of tracks stop here. The one being dragged and one of the ones doing the dragging," Zurgane reported when he rejoined Lothor. "The other two streaked away."

Lothor walked the perimeter himself, trying to understand this latest puzzle. "Those power dweebs would never leave any of their own behind." A thought occurred to Lothor and he spun quickly on his heel to yell it at Zurgane. Instead of a sleekly graceful turn, he almost ended up doing the splits.

"Are you alright sir?" Zurgane was quick to prop his master up.

"Get off of me you fool," Lothor shook the monstrous general away from him. "This is very interesting indeed. Ice in July in the middle of the afternoon."

"Yes, very interesting," Zurgane head bobbed.

"Have the kelzacs search this clearing. I don't think some of our guests have left the building quite yet."

"Building, sir?"

"It's a metaphor, you mouthless wonder. Never mind. Just do as I commanded."

"Yes sir!"

It didn't take very long for the kelzacs to determine the coldest spot in the clearing. It was hidden partially under some trees. In their bumbling hurry, one of the kelzacs knocked his brother into the cold area and the kelzac disappeared. Lothor tilted his head in thought. A blast of dark ninja energy soon cleared the area where the kelzac had disappeared. When the leaves settled, it was like Christmas, Halloween, and Hug Your Evil Ninja day all rolled into one.

"Nephew, so glad you could join us. And you brought a friend," Lothor motioned for the kelzacs to pull the two unconscious ninjas out of the pit. "Let's get you two settled back at home before we go looking for the rest of the party."

It must have looked like some sort of demented parade to the two ninjas who watched Lothor and a small kelzac army carry their friends away.

"Shane…" A hand reached out and covered his own dirt-stained hand.

"I know Dustin." Shane pulled the younger boy to his feet. "Let's go find Tori and Blake."


	2. Chapter 2

This had started out as such a good day, Lothor thought to himself.

This had started out as such a good day, Lothor thought to himself. How had it all gone so horribly wrong? He had broken out of the Abyss of Evil, crashed through Ninja Ops' defenses, only to come up empty-handed. No nephew, no brother, no annoying color-coded teenage brats to stick on a pike and flay, nothing. This was beginning to get irritating.

"Sir, we may have found something," Zurgane pointed to the leafy underbrush. Leaves were bent and branches broken in a pattern that suggested someone had been dragged through there recently. "One of them is injured."

"With any luck, it was brother dearest," Lothor had to smile. Well, that certainly put a spin on things. "Double-time it, Zurgane. I think we may finally get the reunion we have been planning for."

The kelzacs swarmed ahead in an angry buzz of red and black, but stopped when they reached the clearing a short ways ahead. Zurgane rushed to see what the problem was.

"Two sets of tracks stop here. The one being dragged and one of the ones doing the dragging," Zurgane reported when he rejoined Lothor. "The other two streaked away."

Lothor walked the perimeter himself, trying to understand this latest puzzle. "Those power dweebs would never leave any of their own behind." A thought occurred to Lothor and he spun quickly on his heel to yell it at Zurgane. Instead of a sleekly graceful turn, he almost ended up doing the splits.

"Are you alright sir?" Zurgane was quick to prop his master up.

"Get off of me you fool," Lothor shook the monstrous general away from him. "This is very interesting indeed. Ice in July in the middle of the afternoon."

"Yes, very interesting," Zurgane head bobbed.

"Have the kelzacs search this clearing. I don't think some of our guests have left the building quite yet."

"Building, sir?"

"It's a metaphor, you mouthless wonder. Never mind. Just do as I commanded."

"Yes sir!"

It didn't take very long for the kelzacs to determine the coldest spot in the clearing. It was hidden partially under some trees. In their bumbling hurry, one of the kelzacs knocked his brother into the cold area and the kelzac disappeared. Lothor tilted his head in thought. A blast of dark ninja energy soon cleared the area where the kelzac had disappeared. When the leaves settled, it was like Christmas, Halloween, and Hug Your Evil Ninja day all rolled into one.

"Nephew, so glad you could join us. And you brought a friend," Lothor motioned for the kelzacs to pull the two unconscious ninjas out of the pit. "Let's get you two settled back at home before we go looking for the rest of the party."

It must have looked like some sort of demented parade to the two ninjas who watched Lothor and a small kelzac army carry their friends away.

"Shane…" A hand reached out and covered his own dirt-stained hand.

"I know Dustin." Shane pulled the younger boy to his feet. "Let's go find Tori and Blake."

Cam was quick to wake once the group started moving. His instinct was to jerk his head up, but he fought the reaction back down. He was thrown over someone's back, a pair of size twenty boots and green legs all he could see from his current vantage point; he was going to fake being unconscious until he had a better idea of his situation.

"Chooboo, bring Nephew over here. I want him to see this," Lothor ordered. They bounced their way over to the source of all of Cam's problems and then someone grabbed him by his hair, forcing him to make eye contact with his uncle. "Hello there!" Lothor laughed and dropped Cam's head again. "Set him down."

"Well, Nephew, what do you think of your new home?" Lothor sweepingly gestured at the surrounding landscape. Sea on one side, a sharply rising cliff face on the other meant there was no immediate hope of escaping with Hunter. There was no way that Cam could streak with Hunter up that high of a cliff and there was no way that Cam was leaving Hunter to Lothor's tender mercies.

"Cozy," was Cam's only reply.

Lothor laughed from his belly so loudly that the cliffs seemed to shake with it. He motioned for the kelzaks to let Cam go. He slung one heavy arm around Cam's neck and shoulders, pulling him in tightly to his body. "I wanted to thank you for giving me such a wonderful present. Motordrone thanks you as well." A short distance away, Hunter lay on the ground with Motordrone's foot on his chest. He was moving fitfully, but not awake yet. Cam tried to push away from Lothor and go to Hunter, but Lothor was much stronger than he was. "Now, we have some things that I would like to discuss. Namely, your options."

A flash of yellow high on the cliff face caught Cam's attention. Dustin waved hello. Cam looked away before Lothor could see what had caught his eye. "Let Hunter go and I will gladly talk terms."

"Now, now, Nephew, this is not the time to be making demands. Hunter is my guest and I am surprised that you want to deprive him of our hospitality." Lothor spun them back towards Hunter's spot on the beach. Cam took the time to look Hunter over. A pair of hazel eyes were quickly hid behind long lashes. Good, that would make this easier.

"Hunter's sick," Cam tried. "It's contagious."

"I very much doubt that. Even now the boy is faking sleep!"

"He's lost touch with his ninja element," which was somewhat true. After the second electrocution, Hunter could no longer access his lightning abilities. He could still see the small motes of energy in everything, but no longer control it. Cam had his own personal theories about why that was, but for now, Hunter read as a deadhead, a non-ninja. When Lothor went to read the previously strong aura of the Crimson Ranger, he turned pale and started to pull back from Cam.

"How is that possible?"

"We don't know. He's been sick for a while, possibly since the Abyss." Cam laughed silently as he watched Lothor squirm. "It might have had something to do with the energy signature of the Abyss. My early readings indicated that there was something in the Abyss that was dangerous to human ninjas."

Lothor threw Cam at a pair of kelzacks. "Zurgane! Take care of these two. I need to make an appointment." He stalked off into a nearby salt cave, followed closely by Chooboo.

Cam sighed in relief as Zurgane flapped his hands at the group of kelzacks nearest him. His eyes slanted up to see if Dustin was still there, but the slip of yellow had moved on. He turned his attention to the gleaming hunk of metallic gold currently stepping on his boyfriend. "Lothor won't like it if you damage his toys before he has a chance to play with them."

Motordrone leered down at a prone Hunter. "Oh, this is my toy. Lothor promised and sick or not, we are going to have so much fun together." He pulled the boy up by his borrowed jacket. "Aren't we?"

Hunter's answer was to throw up on Motordrone's feet. Motordrone didn't throw Hunter away as Cam had expected the monster to. Instead, he pulled Hunter closer and smiled. "Not faking then. Good. Very good."

A gold gauntlet pulled off the jacket and used it to wipe his feet. Hunter shivered in the breeze from the ocean. Dropping the jacket, Motordrone clenched a fist around Hunter's neck and lifted him off the ground for inspection. Hunter kicked weakly at the monster, hands scrabbling at the thing cutting off his air supply, but he was too weak for it to make a difference.

"Hunter!" Cam broke the kelzacks' hold on him and rushed at Motordrone. Motordrone simply shot a low blast of energy at the samurai, only enough power to drive Cam to his knees. Cam retaliated by gathering his ninja abilities. Slowly, too slowly, a spear of frozen water solidified in his hand. Motordrone, noticing the drop in temperature, let loose another blast of dark energy. Cam was blown onto his back.

"Let my brother go!" a voice off to his left shouted. The cavalry had arrived, thank god. Cam lifted his head to watch as his teammates annihilated the small army of kelzacks. Blake hung back from the fray. Instead, he stalked around the edge of the fight to Motordrone's position. With a carelessly quick slice, he caught Motordrone in his bad knee.

Motordrone dropped Hunter to grab at his sword and summon his bike. "Another time Rangers!" He peeled out of sight, his tire tracks filling with flames. One down.

Cam's chest burned from Motordrone's energy blasts, but he crawled as quickly as he could to Hunter's side. Blake beat him there. "Check his pulse," Cam called to the Navy Ranger.

"Slow, but steady," Blake called back. His hand shook were it lay on Hunter's chest. Cam covered it with his own. "Can you carry him out of here?"

"I'll go get Dustin." Blake rushed into the swirling maelstrom of colors centered in the middle of the beach. Cam turned his attention back to Hunter. He took the moment to check Hunter's breathing and his neck. Bruises were already starting to form on the pale skin. There were also bruises under his eyes and a faint sickening smell of rotting oranges. "Almost done," Cam winced at his own choice of words.

The two boys returned quickly and managed to hoist Hunter up between the two of them. In a flash, the trio streaked off into the distance.

The battle itself seemed to be winding down. Zurgane was preoccupied with Shane. The Wind ninjas had already managed to dispatch most of the kelzacks. Shane caught the flash of the ninja streak and motioned to the others. They broke away and converged on Cam's position. "Time to go home!" Shane urged. As one, the remaining ninjas streaked off of the beach, or at least they tried to. Lothor had heard the din of battle and come to investigate. He managed to get off a single blast before the ninjas could escape. It caught Cam in the shoulder, spinning him around. He dropped to the sand without a sound.

"Wakey, wakey, nephew." A macabre black and red blob floated in and out of his vision. Cam tried to roll away from the offender, but that only ended up jarring his shoulder, which apparently really hurt. What had he done to it? Where was he?

The voice continued to speak to someone behind him. "It's a pity that we used the last of the energy on those Thunder brats. I could use a new evil minion." A black glove poked him in the arm and then the shoulder. Cam couldn't help his wince. "Although, this one seems to be defective." A great booming laugh shook through his bones.

"No matter. You, dear Cam, will be the perfect bait in my trap." Right. Lothor, attack on the Ninja Academy, the escape, his fall from a very great height. It was all coming back to him now. Damnit. Between the fall and the way his shoulder felt right now, he had probably dislocated the thing. He wouldn't be fighting his way out anytime soon. At least Hunter had gotten away. Lothor couldn't use Hunter against him.

"I am curious about one thing, blood of my blood. Who made that lovely little ice sculpture back in the clearing where I found you? Hmm? A new recruit perhaps? Maybe Hunter isn't as powerless as you want me to think."

Chooboo piped in, "What if it was him, sir?"

"Him who? Good god man, clarify your pronouns!"

The green monster wilted, but stuttered on. "Maybe it was the green ranger himself."

"Don't be ridiculous," Lothor waved dismissively. "My brother would never have trained him in the elemental arts. The boy's mother forbid it."

"But sir."

"Leave the thinking to me Chooboo. You're clearly no good at it." Lothor bellowed to Zurgane. "Lock up our guest and then post kelzacs at every entrance. Those puny power punks should be trying again any minute now."

It wasn't until Zurgane was dragging him down the hall and paying no attention whatsoever to him, that Cam felt safe to smile. Anything that Lothor didn't know about him was one more advantage he had. If nothing else, he could certainly mess up the evil dictator's plumbing. The image of Lothor jumping out of a freezing cold shower, slipping, falling, and banging his head on a toilet seat kept Cam warm the entire walk to his new guest quarters.


	3. Chapter 3

Cam's friends had no such thing to make them smile. Upon reaching the rendezvous point, Blake was sickened to discover they had lost Cam. Dustin confirmed their suspicions. Lothor had recaptured Cam. Blake looked over at his brother. If Hunter wasn't so desperately sick, he would almost be grateful that he was out cold. His brother was not going to be happy when he woke up.

Off to one side, Tori and Shane seemed to be arguing over where to go next. Tori was insisting they go back for Cam. Cam and Tori, Blake remembered, were very close friends. Shane was arguing that they couldn't go back so soon after the last attempt. Blake hated to choose sides, but he had more immediate concerns.

"We can't stay here arguing," Dustin chimed in. He had beaten Blake to the punch and saved Blake from interrupting the argument. The younger boy winked in Blake's direction, then turned again to Shane and Tori.

Shane sighed, obviously tired of being in charge. "I'm open to suggestions."

That was Blake's cue. "We need to get Hunter help too. He's burning up."

Tori dropped her argument there and then to join Blake at Hunter's side. "Is he breathing okay?" She lay a hand on his chest to feel for herself.

"Yeah," Blake returned and covered her hand with his own.

"I'm not dead yet," Hunter croaked. "Quit flirting over my corpse."

Blake smiled in relief. "How's the throat?"

"Hurts."

"How's the stomach?"

"Iffy."

"How's the head?"

"Still attached, I think." Hunter 's eyes were slowing falling shut again.

Blake gently rapped his forehead. "Solid as ever. Hey, don't go back to sleep on me." He shook Hunter by the shoulder.

"What?"

"Try to stay awake, okay?" He grabbed a spare handkerchief and soaked it in water from his canteen. After he had wrung the scrap of clothe out, he carefully placed it on Hunter's fevered brow. A breathy mmmhh was his only response.

"Are you going to be able to walk any time soon?" Shane walked over to join the rest of his team around Hunter. Hunter's eyes had closed again, but he only needed his eyebrows to convey a sufficiently sarcastic response. "I'll take that as a no."

Tori looked up at Shane. "We can't leave him while we go after Cam, but we can't leave Cam either. What are we going to do?"

"Cam?" Hunter groped for his brother's hand blindly, his eyes barely opening.

Blake captured Hunter's hand in his own. "Lothor got off a lucky shot as we were leaving. We couldn't get to him in time."

"He's alive?"

"We think so." God, the other option had never occurred to him. Even with all of his time as an evil ranger, even knowing that Lothor did not intend to feed them milk and cookies should he ever succeed in capturing all six of them, he automatically assumed that Cam was still alive. He'd been spending too much time with the Winds.

Hunter's only answer was to swallow convulsively and squeeze Blake's hand. He knew the options as well as Blake did. Neither Thunder had ever had the luxury of innocence. Neither ever assumed that everything always ended well.

It was Dustin that dragged his thoughts back to the more immediate problem of what to do now. "I don't think we can go back to Ninja Ops. It's way too hot. And I am not risking Kelly by going back to the shop."

"Where else is there?" Shane argued back.

Hunter turned his hand in Blake's grasp to get his attention. "Home."

"Dude," Shane slammed in. "Lothor already broke into Ninja Ops once today. Let's not tempt fate."

Blake squeezed Hunter's hand again, then released it. "He was talking about the Thunder Academy."

A bomb could have been set off in the ensuing silence.

It came down to Blake to make the phone call to Sensei Omino. There was no sense driving to the Thunder Ninja Academy if they weren't welcome. Blake didn't know what he was going to say, "Hey, long time, no see." Personally, he was still a little bitter over the whole banishment, make his brother light himself up like a Christmas tree episode and would rather have gone anywhere else. Unfortunately, there was no place else. The Wind Academy was obviously out and no one wanted to risk Kelly and Stormchargers, even if they did feel up to telling her a year's worth of secrets. The Thunder Academy was the only academy close enough to reach by car (since they couldn't carry Hunter for long distances) and, being an academy, the only place nearby with any hopes of slowing down an attack from Lothor. It would also be someplace that Lothor wouldn't expect them to run to. Once Lothor started to decrypt the computer files he undoubtedly stole from Ninja Ops, he would certainly come across Blake's emancipation papers, along with the recorded account of the Thunders' return to the Wind Academy and Hunter's subsequent medical records. The Thunder Academy would be the perfect hiding place, if Blake could just convince himself and Sensei Omino that the banishment three months ago was a mistake.

He finally made the phone call from a payphone outside of the motel room the group was sharing. It wasn't the best place in town, but it wasn't the worst place he and his brother had ever stayed in. Blake tried to slow his breathing as he waited for the other end of the line to pick up.

"Hello, Sensei's office," the cheerful voice of Marjeane, Sensei's assistant, broke in.

Blake risked resting his head on the grime-encrusted glass wall. "Is Sensei Omino in?"

"One moment please. May I ask who is calling?"

"Tell him," Blake floundered. "Tell him an old obligation."

"Certainly sir," Marjeane's voice hinted at confusion, but the usual Asian-inspired muzak came on as he was put on hold. At least she hadn't hung up on him automatically.

"Sensei Ominio," answered a voice rich with age and experience. For a moment, Blake couldn't breathe. Home, safety, anger, and a hundred other associations all crowded together in his mouth and he was choking on them. "Hello?" He could hear Sensei yelling out the door to Marjeane about practical jokers and screening calls.

"Sensei," he finally managed to whisper.

"Yes? Who is this?" Blake could picture Sensei smoothing over the gnarled limbs of the bonsai tree he and Hunter had given him for Father's Day. Or maybe Sensei had gotten rid of the little tree three months ago. The sudden spike of anger at that thought was enough to return Blake to his original purpose.

"Sensei Omino, it's Blake."

"Blake…How are…Why are you calling here?"

"I," he corrected. "We need some help and there isn't anyone else we could call." Let Sensei choke on that thought awhile.

"Are you…What can I do?" Sensei didn't sound helpful, so much as helpless.

Blake wanted to throw the phone through the glass booth. He wanted to kick and scream, but mostly he wanted to hang-up and pretend he had just gotten the answering machine. Then he could go back to Tori and Shane and Dustin and shrug his shoulders and say, oh well, he had tried. And only Hunter would know that he was lying.

"Blake?" The voice was soft and patient. At least that much hadn't changed.

"We need a place to stay." Over Sensei's burbling protests, he added, "Lothor's back."

"There aren't any more morphers, Blake."

"I know that! But the Wind Academy has been compromised, Cam's dad is off on retreat, and we really don't have anywhere else to go."

"I'm sorry, Blake, but I can't let you back on the grounds. You made your choice."

There was a small tap on the outside of the booth. Tori waved when he looked up, but her smile was hesitant. Blake turned away to hide his anger and frustration from her.

"Do you need some money for a hotel?"

It was the adoption agency, the Cave, and the whole last year all over again. Great knowing you kid, have a nice life.

"Hunter's sick," he blurted out.

"Then take him to a hospital, Blake," Sensei urged. "Nothing abnormal will show up on any scans."

"Yeah, just like the last time he did this," Blake tossed back. He knew that Sensei would catch the reference.

"What did your brother do, Blake?" Sensei demanded.

Blake laughed bitterly, "Open channel."

"Where can we meet?"

Blake gave the name of the hotel and Sensei promised to be there after evening prayers. Blake hung up before Sensei could say anything else. Tori caught his hand as he left the phone booth and gave it a squeeze.

"We'll figure something else out, Blake," she reassured. "You did your best."

Blake squeezed back. "He'll be here around six."

Tori stopped to look him over. "That's a good thing, right?"

Blake could only smile grimly and shrug.


	4. Chapter 4

Sensei was as good as his word. He showed up right at six with a quick knock on the door.

Dustin let him in, but no one said hello. Dustin returned to the chair next to Shane's. Tori stayed seated next to Blake, who was seated on the edge of Hunter's bed. Hunter, thankfully, was asleep. Sensei bowed his head in formal greeting. The Winds returned the gesture out of habit. Blake gritted his teeth and resisted the same urge.

When Sensei spoke, he was addressing Blake alone. "Can I see him?"

"Be my guest." Blake stood up and took Tori with him.

Sensei Omino took Blake's place at Hunter's side. "Hunter." There was no answer. He carefully ran a hand through Hunter's sweat-soaked bangs. He pulled the covers down to Hunter's waist and then slipped a hand under Hunter's shirt so that he could put a hand directly over the boy's heart, like a doctor doing a check-up. He moved the other hand behind Hunter to cup the back of his head. Both bodies inhaled deeply, arching, before relaxing.

"What's he doing?" Dustin stage-whispered to Shane.

"They're in a healing trance," Blake answered.

"Oh. Why?"

This time it was Sensei who answered. "Hunter has done some extensive damage to himself." He lifted his hands clear and then replaced the covers. "What did you do this time?"

Hunter's eyes slid open and then slid shut again. He tried to turn away from Sensei, but the extra weight on the blankets kept him trapped in place. He settled for turning his head away.

Blake moved to sit on the other side of the bed. "Bro?"

"Yeah," Hunter breathed out. "Where are we?"

"A hotel."

Hunter gestured at Sensei with a flicker of his eyes. "And…?"

"Your suggestion, remember?"

"Not really." Hunter creased his forehead as if in pain.

"Hunter," Sensei interrupted. "You need to come back with me to the Academy. You won't heal from this on your own."

"I can't. Or did you forget?" It was the first time that Hunter looked Sensei in the eye.

"Your ritual was interrupted. There was never any decision made, one way or the other. You are still welcome to come home."

"And Blake?"

"I made my choice, bro."

"And Blake?" Hunter insisted.

To give Sensei credit, he didn't flinch or turn away. "As he said, Blake made his choice."

"And mine."

"I figured as much," Sensei smiled sadly. "Then I must stay here to make sure you both receive the help you need."

Two pairs of eyes met his, wide with shock. "In times of need," Sensei intoned. "An Academy may request help from another Academy and we are honor-bound to give it. Do you request our aid?"

Neither Bradley brother would answer. Shane stepped forward. "As the senior-most teacher at the Wind Ninja Academy, I humbly receive your offer of aid. With thanks." He locked hands with Sensei and then bowed his head to formalize the proceedings.

"Blake, can you help me to the bathroom?" Hunter asked.

Together the two brothers retreated to the bathroom, Hunter leaning heavily on his brother to stand. The others waited for several minutes. They heard water running and low mummers, but neither came out. Eventually, the Winds turned their attention elsewhere. Sensei kept his attention firmly on the closed door, willing to wait.

When it came time to choose beds, Sensei insisted on the floor. He wanted to meditate he said. Dustin and Shane shared one of the beds, while the Bradley brothers shared the other. Tori slept on a rollaway that the hotel manager had reluctantly given them. Shane suggested taking turns on guard duty, but there again, Sensei insisted that he could handle it. If he felt tired, he assured them, he would let someone know.

Shane wanted to trust the old man; he was offering them help after all. The only problem was that Blake didn't trust the man anymore and Blake's instincts about people were uncanny. The only person who had better instincts was Dustin and he hadn't been able to get Dustin alone to ask him. He decided to stay up with Sensei, just in case.

That was why Shane was awake at three in the morning when Hunter's nightmare started for the second time. He had been resting his eyes, sliding back towards his own personal heating source (and how weird was that thought?), when Hunter started talking in his sleep. Shane had never heard Hunter talk in his sleep. He figured Hunter was like those Special Ops guys who trained themselves to sleep without making noise. But here was Hunter, holding a conversation in his sleep. Then he kicked off his covers and tried to climb out of bed, but he kept falling backwards. Shane started to free himself from his own covers, only Sensei got to Hunter first. The man gently, but firmly tucked Hunter back into bed and repositioned the sheets. Hunter seemed to be fighting it. He kept muttering something that Shane couldn't quite catch. Sensei kept reassuring Hunter that someone was in the bathroom, that they would be right back. Eventually, Hunter fell back asleep, still muttering to himself about bathrooms and bad hair days.

When Sensei started to move, Shane quickly lay back down to fake sleep.

"Shane, who is Cam?"

Busted. "One of our team members. He and Hunter are good friends."

The shadow over Hunter's bed turned towards him. "Where is Cam?"

"Lothor has him." Shane paused to make sure he wasn't waking up Dustin. "Blake told you we were attacked, right? Well, you know how sick Hunter is. We couldn't get away fast enough carrying him and Cam wouldn't leave him."

"So you left them both?" Even though the voice was mild, Shane could hear the accusation in it. He sat up quickly and pointed at Sensei.

"He never would have been sick if you hadn't kicked Blake out," Shane whispered as loudly as he dared. "And for the record, Dustin and I didn't want to leave them. Cam made us."

"Where were Tori and Blake?"

Shane swallowed back the angry retort he wanted to make. "They were on a date."

"You said they were both captured by Lothor."

"Yes."

"How did you get them back?"

Shane gestured widely. "We found Tori and Blake, attacked the camp, and rescued Hunter."

"Easy as that."

"No," Shane sighed heavily. "Not easy as that. We lost Cam on the way out."

"And that is what you would like my help with?"

"Honestly? I don't know. Sure?" Shane stretched back out on the bed. "Can we talk about this in the morning?"

"Certainly," Shane could almost hear the smile in that voice. "One last question."

"Yeah?"

"Blake has Tori, and Hunter has Cam, who do you have Shane?"

"Good night, Sensei."

Shane flipped over onto his back to get more comfortable. Dustin shifted with him, throwing a leg and an arm over him as if to keep him in place.

"Goodnight, Shane."

Dustin awoke with a jerk and elbowed Shane in the process.

"Duuddeee…" moaned Shane.

"Sorry" he whispered back. His back was cramping up from sleeping on his side and all of the pillows had migrated to Shane's side of the bed. He wanted to turn over and lie on Shane's shoulder, but Dustin didn't think he was allowed to do that yet. Last night had been awkward enough. He had tried to fall asleep, but with Shane lying stiff as a board next to him, it had taken awhile. He didn't know why Shane didn't want him touching him, but he got the message loud and clear.

Maybe this whole thing had been a bad idea. Shane was his best friend, since, like, forever. Who traded that in on great hands and soft lips. Really nice lips. Really nice tasting lips. It was a combination of salty with a little bit of sweetness that Dustin would eat tons of if they ever marketed the taste as a breakfast cereal. His mind wandered from there, thinking up logos and breakfast slogans. "A little bit of Shane is what every meal needs!" At one point, Sponge Bob was singing the theme song, which was when Dustin realized he had fallen asleep again.

The other side of the bed was empty, even though Dustin could hear voices nearby. At least they hadn't left for breakfast without him, like yesterday. He was always the last one up! Man, this meant no hot water for him. He loved his ninja power, loved being a child of the Earth and all that entailed, but some days it would be really cool to have a power like fire. Grumbling under his breath, he climbed out of bed to join his friends. Shane and Sponge Bob would have to wait.

Cam really wanted to go back to sleep. If he was asleep, then he wouldn't have to smell Lothor's foul breath or look at Chooboo's ugly mug. He wouldn't feel like his shoulder was falling off his body. If he was sleeping, he could dream himself somewhere with decent temperature controls. Instead, he was stuck in a cave that couldn't decide what temperature it was supposed to be, with a dislocated shoulder, listening to the ravings of sheer lunatics. If he was sleeping, he wouldn't have to own up to the fact that the heat fluctuations indicated a fever (probably from the shoulder trauma) and that he, Cameron Watanabe, was in a very bad situation.

The morning started off with a team training session, which Hunter was glad he had not been a part of. Being semi-conscious had its perks. Blake and Sensei had stayed behind to baby-sit him, but they were outside running through katas in the parking lot.

Whatever Sensei had done the night before had helped his fever; it had finally broken sometime while he was sleeping. Unfortunately, he had still woken up with the headache that destroyed Tokyo, not that he was going to whine about it to anyone. So what if the pain in his head was making his eyes blur to the point that the hotel room looked like some Salvador Dali piece, all melted lights and oozing nightstands. He could handle it. He was ninja. It was more than past time that he got out of bed and stopped being a problem for other people to work around.

Slowly he rolled over onto his sore stomach. Step one down. With a few grunts of effort, he managed to push himself into a sitting position. Man, he was on a roll. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and then he hesitated. Suck it up, he told himself and stood. With the help of the wall, he made it in to the bathroom, but stepping over the edge of the tub was beyond him. He tripped and landed awkwardly in the bottom of the bathtub, taking the shower curtain out as he fell.

At least he hadn't landed on his face, he thought positively. He could just imagine what he looked like, trapped in a shower wearing a shower curtain and three days of sweat and bed head hair. He started to giggle. Soon his laughter was bouncing off of the walls, echoing in the small space. "Echo!" he cried between giggles and laughed even harder.

"Hunter!" Blake came running in, followed by Sensei.

Hunter thought it might be a good idea to stop laughing now, since Blake was looking a little worried, but he couldn't stop. It was just so funny. It was hilarious that the Crimson Ranger, Blake's big brother, Cam's boyfriend, Sensei's ex-foster son could not even manage to take a shower without messing things up. So much for a ninja's strength and agility. He had been felled by a foot and a half high tub. He laughed even harder. What did Cam see in such a fuck-up? What had his parents? Whatever it was, boy, were they ever wrong! He had sure fooled them and look where it had gotten them. Two dead and one soon to be, if Lothor had his way. And here he was, laughing his head off in a cheap Motel 6 bathroom because he had fallen and couldn't get up!

A hand grabbed his shoulder to get his attention. "Hunter, are you alright?"

Hunter couldn't help laughing at the pathetically sincere look in Blake's brown eyes. Of course he was alright. He was always alright. Nothing ever happened to _him_.

"Peachy," he gasped out and then lapsed back into laughter.

Sensei joined Blake. "My son, you need to stop this."

"I can't," Hunter wailed. "I can't even get out of the bathtub!" His stomach hurt, he was laughing so hard. "_My son_," he huffed. "Better watch out Sensei or you'll be next!"

Blake and Sensei exchanged looks. Sensei nodded and they both reached in to untangle Hunter from the mess he had gotten himself into. Getting out of the bathtub helped calm some of the worst giggles. Hunter was down to the occasional hiccup of laughter. Now that he had stopped laughing, his headache had bloomed like a supernova behind his eyes. He really wanted to sit down.

"Dude," Blake grunted as he unwound the curtain from around Hunter's feet. "If you wanted a shower, why didn't you just say something?"

Hunter closed his eyes against it, but he could still feel the tears of frustration sliding down his cheeks. Sensei turned him around into a hug, tucking his head under his chin just like he did when the brothers were little. Hunter wanted to scream, "My fault!" Wanted to push them away before something happened to them for being near him. Just wanted to be left to face his mess alone. But there was no strength left in him to do either.

Instead, he let Sensei hold him up until he was all cried out.


	5. Chapter 5

Sensei had worked on Hunter a little bit more before the others came back, so the headache had receded. Unfortunately, Blake mused, Hunter's black mood had not shifted with it. Sensei had also managed to convince Hunter that a bath might be a better way to go; less chance of Hunter getting dizzy and losing his balance. Right now, Hunter was in the bathtub while Sensei sat on the toilet seat, keeping an eye on him.

"Blake," caught his attention and he turned away from door duty.

"What's up?"

Dustin was sidling up to the other side of the doorway. He cocked his head slightly in question.

"I removed all weapons before they got in there," Blake grimly smiled. He turned his attention back to listening to the careful non-exchange between the two occupants.

"Ah," Dustin shifted until his back was against the doorframe. "You maybe want like a break or something?"

Blake turned and finally looked at Dustin. The kid had circles under his eyes and the way he held himself told Blake that Dustin's back was bothering him. Probably not used to sleeping with someone else, he mused. "What can I help you with Dustin?"

Dustin ducked his head, embarrassed at being caught out. "I'm kinda hungry and everybody else is preoccupied and, well, Shane yelled at me not to make any more stupid risks after I took a walk alone yesterday, so would you?"

It took Blake a second to run that sentence through his Dustin filter before it made sense. He laid his ear against door one more time, heard still nothing, and decided it would be good to get out of the motel room for awhile. "Let's do it."

He wondered what was going on with Dustin even as the boy's relieved smile made it clear that Dustin wasn't really that hungry.

This would be less creepy, Hunter decided, if I could actually hear Sensei breathing. Having a completely unheard, but strongly felt presence in the bathroom while he was naked and without a handy weapon was setting his teeth on edge. Hunter slapped his fist against the water to break the mood.

"Hunter?"

Hunter sank further into the bathtub until his knees hit the opposite side of the tub. "Still not dead yet," he called back and then had to choke down his giggles. It really wasn't that funny, except that it was.

"We should begin your training regiment soon."

He was so tired. Even thinking about training made his eyelids droop. Rather than answer, he focused on the condensation sliding down the inside of the shower curtain. One particular drop almost made it to the tub before friction stopped it. This must be what it felt like when you were stoned out of your mind.

"Hunter?"

"Hmm?" Maybe if he thought hard enough he could move the drop with his mind. An answering throb suggested that he not concentrate that hard. Oh well, Tori would probably have gotten upset that he was trying to horn in on her gig.

"Time to get out, I think," and then gentle hands were pulling the curtain aside and lifting him up to sit on the bath ledge. Sensei pulled the plug on the bath and then dabbed a towel over Hunter's head. "I never thought that I would be doing this again until you or Blake gave me grandchildren." Sensei smiled fondly to himself. "I remember when you told me you didn't need my help in the bath anymore. You nearly made an old man cry."

Hunter refused to be baited into a conversation, so Sensei draped the towel over Hunter's shoulders instead. "As I was saying, I think we should start with your training regimen tonight. Perhaps some deep breathing exercises?"

Hunter twisted slightly further away from Sensei. "Can I go back to bed now?"

Sensei seemed to hesitate, something the man never did. The moment passed quickly when he nodded in reply. "Certainly."

Between the two of them, they made slow, if steady work of getting Hunter into a pair of pajama pants and one of his older t-shirts. Hunter shuffled back to bed, resting most of his weight on Sensei. Soon he was tucked back into his bed, covers pulled up to his chin. He half expected Sensei to tuck the sheets under the mattress like he did when Hunter was a kid and especially missing his parents. As if sensing his thoughts, the man smiled and held up his hands, backing away to sit on the edge of the bed nearest Hunter. Hunter squirmed at the closeness.

"When this is done, Hunter," Sensei started cautiously. "May I come visit you and your brother?"

"No!" Hunter barked in disbelief. "You…you marked us as pariah." The flow of words jammed in the back of his mouth, choking him for a second.

The beep of the door lock activating interrupted them further. Blake and Dustin quietly edged in the door, clearly expecting Hunter to be asleep and Sensei meditating. When Blake caught the look on his brother's face, he hurried over to intervene.

"Hey dudes," Dustin greeted. His voice showed no acknowledgement of the tension in the room, but he too came to stand next to Hunter and Blake. "How you feelin' bra?"

"Clean," Hunter offered, only because it was Dustin.

"Can I ask you something later, maybe in private?" Dustin spared darting glances for the room's occupants.

The question was bizarre enough that it shook Hunter out of his anger. "Dustin, what…Are you okay?"

Dustin laughed it off, flapping a hand in the air. "You know me. Never any worries."

"Yeah," Hunter reluctantly agreed. Now Sensei was looking at Dustin strangely too. In fact the only person not looking at Dustin was Blake. Maybe he had told Blake something. Maybe Blake would be willing to share.

Blake met his stare and gave him an imperceptible nod. He could catch Hunter up later. "Whenever you need me, Dustin."

Dustin broke out in a relieved grin. "Thanks man."

"Hunter was just about to take a nap, I believe," Sensei interrupted. "Perhaps we could take the rest of this conversation outside?"

It was Hunter's turn to meet Blake's stare with a small nod. "Catch ya' later," Blake called as he followed the others outside.

"Later, bro," Hunter promised. The finality of the door clicking shut followed Hunter down into sleep.

"Hunter," Cam warned. It didn't stop Hunter one bit. He kept edging them closer to the incoming waves. He tried to free his arms, but Hunter was at least his equal in strength and had the advantage of five more inches of height. They kept moving.

"Hunter, if you don't…" Cam threatened.

"If I don't what?" Hunter whispered in his ear. Cam leaned back against Hunter when his knees threatened to collapse out of reflex. That was the bedroom voice. So not fair.

"Cheater," Cam complained, even as he arched his neck so that his head was on Hunter's shoulder.

Hunter just laughed, bending his own neck to take advantage of what was on offer.

Big time cheater, Cameron thought. He knew the neck was Cam's biggest weakness. And wow, was Hunter working that vulnerability.

"I wasn't you know."

"Wasn't what?"

"Going to throw you in," Hunter added, along with the hint of teeth.

Cam sighed, not really caring anymore about anything except what Hunter was doing to his throat. "My hero."

A long lick from base to ear, "If you want me to be."

Enough talking already, Cam decided. He managed to turn in Hunter's arms. "What I want is to be somewhere with a few less witnesses." He gestured to the sparsely populated beach. Blue Bay Harbor in January wasn't that popular apparently.

Hunter landed a loud smack on his lips. "Your wish," he smirked.

Cam had about two seconds to worry and then Hunter was swinging him up into a fireman's carry.

"Put me down!" Cam ordered, thoroughly scandalized.

"No," Hunter replied. "I like this view better," and then he slapped Cam on the ass.

"You are so going to regret this."

"Big talk, little action," Hunter patted him again.

Just for that! With Hunter pinning his arms with one of his own and his legs with the other arm, Cam had only one other weapon to use for retaliation.

He bit Hunter through the seat of his jeans as hard as he could.

Hunter yelped and almost dropped him.

"Now who's cheating!" Hunter complained, but his voice said he was smiling when he said it. Hunter seemed to take it as a personal victory whenever he got Cam to behave badly in public.

"Just take me home."

"Gladly." Hunter slipped a hand up under his t-shirt to rub the small of his back.

"We'll see about that," Cam muttered darkly, contemplating whether that deserved another nip or not.

A bucketful of water jerked Cam awake, which caused him to jerk his damaged shoulder. Unfortunately, the straps kept him from curling around the injury.

"Sir," Zurgane called. "He's awake."

"Good," Lothor called back. "Bring him back to the chair."

"Yes sir."

Cam desperately tried to recapture the memory of that first January, even as Zurgane tugged open his restraints.

Dustin found him that night. Everyone else had gone to get supper and Dustin volunteered to stay behind. As soon as they had left, Hunter sat up in bed, calling Dustin over to him.

"Okay, seriously dude, what is going on?"

Dustin sat down on the bed next to Hunter and relaxed back against the headboard. "I might have screwed things up."

Hunter shook his head in surprise. "Did you light the hotel room on fire or something when I was unconscious?"

"No," Dustin shook his head, studying his hands in his lap. "I think I made Shane mad at me."

"Why?"

"Well, okay. See this thing between me and Shane is like brand new. Super brand new."

Hunter hadn't even known there was something there, just that they had made out for an audience in Ninja Ops.

"And last night," Dustin continued. "Last night, Shane totally didn't want to sleep with me."

Hunter couldn't help it. A bark of laughter slipped out. "Dustin, Shane was all over you. Why wouldn't he want to sleep with you?"

"That was going to be my question," Dustin cried. His hands were slowing twisting into knots. "I mean, I am kinda cute, right?"

"Totally cute," and suddenly Hunter was almost glad that Cam wasn't here to weigh in on the conversation.

"Then what's wrong with me?" Dustin asked him earnestly.

Hunter had to close his eyes and count to three to keep a straight face. Time for a new tactic. "What makes you think that Shane doesn't want to sleep with you?

Dustin ran a frustrated hand through his hair. "When we shared a bed last night, he stayed on the opposite side the whole time. He wouldn't even look at me. Dustin looked him in the eye. "Are you sure I'm not ugly?"

"Dustin," Hunter tried. "Maybe Shane is just an old-fashioned guy."

"Maybe," Dustin reluctantly agreed. "Or maybe he realized he doesn't really like guys. OR maybe he realized he doesn't really like me."

"You're smart, you're in a kick-ass sport, and you wear yellow spandex in your free time," Hunter wrapped Dustin up in a one-armed hug. "What's not to love?"

"Me, apparently."

"Maybe it's not you. Have you tried talking to him yet?"

Dustin seemed to curl even further in on himself. "No..I just…after last time, you know, with Marah and her laughing in my face, I just…I really don't want Shane to make fun of me." He curled his own arm around Hunter's waist and hid his face in Hunter's chest.

Hunter ran a hand through Dustin's curls in an attempt to soothe the younger boy. "Anybody that doesn't realize what a gift that big heart of yours is wasn't worth your time to begin with."

"Thanks bro," Dustin whispered.


	6. Chapter 6

"Do it again."

Hunter practiced his hand motions again. These were the gestures that every elemental novice was taught to help them harness their natural abilities.

"Again."

This was also only the five hundredth time that Sensei had made him do this. Do you want to get Cam back or not, he reminded himself. Hissing air through his front teeth, he did it again. Thumb and forefinger bent, a twist of the wrist, arms out to their full extension. Samurai Jack would eat his heart out.

He glanced over to the other side of the parking lot where his brother and their friends were practicing. He really wished he was over there right now.

"Again and with some focus this time."

Hunter again went through the motions, adding a little extra finger flick at the end.

"Not appropriate, Hunter. Go again."

"Why?"

Sensei uncurled his legs and stretched them out in front of him. "You asked for my help," he reminded Hunter.

"No, I didn't."

"Fine. Blake then. But now I am here and you need help that I can give. Why should I not help?"

"Because I am no longer your problem to solve. You made sure of that." Hunter struggled to uncurl his own legs and stand.

Sensei knew better than to try to help him, but he stood as well. "Hunter," Sensei waited until he would look him in the eye. "You were never a problem I had to solve. You are my son and have been since I adopted you."

"That ended when you kicked us out of the Academy." Hunter pulled away and crossed his arms, dropping eye contact.

Sensei's gentle laugh was almost insulting. Hunter's head jerked up defiantly. "You were never one for fine print or patience." Sensei reached out to lightly clasp Hunter's biceps. "My son, the only tie that was severed _was_ the one to the Academy. You can no longer request our help, live on school grounds, or continue in our discipline. That does not mean that you are no longer in our hearts. It simply means that your family must visit you!"

Hunter yanked his arms out of Sensei's grip. "Then why didn't you say something sooner? Why wait months to get contact us?"

"Your brother told me not to."

Hunter, for once, was speechless.

"Sensei Watanabe contacted me when you first had your accident, rightly thinking that something similar had happened before. I arranged to come down, but then Blake called me to cancel the trip. He said I couldn't have it both ways and that he never wanted to see me again. I assumed he spoke for both of you. Was I wrong?"

"Blake was just…" Hunter crossed his arms across his chest again. "He was just trying to protect me."

"Was what Blake said untrue?" Sensei pushed.

"He shouldn't have said that." A fine tremor ran down Hunter's body.

"Why, Hunter?" Sensei moved closer. "Was what Blake said wrong?"

"He should have let me decide for myself," Hunter ground out.

Sensei moved closer again. "That does not answer my question. Was what he said in any way untrue?"

Hunter's vision narrowed dangerously. His hands flew up to defend himself from what his mind was telling him was a direct assault. "I don't know!" He screamed, fists clenching until his knuckles turned white.

"Hunter. Look at your hands," Sensei urged.

He almost couldn't hear Sensei through the rush of sound in his ears. Hot ozone stung the inside of his nose and his lungs were straining to pull in oxygen.

"Look down!" Sensei shouted.

Hunter finally looked down. At the end of a long tunnel, he watched as blue snakes of writhing light curled around his arms and hands. In shock, Hunter tried to hold his hands as far away from himself as possible. The light surged in response and the drain on his taxed resources dropped him to his knees.

"Hunter, you need to stop this!" He heard Sensei move forward, but then the field of electricity stopped him. Sensei let out a small grunt of pain after getting zapped.

Other footsteps were fast approaching, but Hunter could not see them. The only things he could concentrate on were the twin monsters attached to him at the wrist. Never again, he had promised and now he had already broken it. Sensei was hurt because of him and if he didn't do something soon, everyone who had gathered around him would get hurt too. He could feel the pressure building up like a thunderhead, ready to explode.

A body dropped down in front of him. He recognized Dustin's yellow shirt and oil-streaked jeans. "Chill dude! I got you!"

Hands grabbed his wrists and then it was if a dam had burst. The energy was no longer building up because it had found a conduit. Dustin's hands were almost crushing the bones in his wrists, but he didn't care. He could feel his power draining away. He almost wished Dustin could take all of it.

Sensei must read minds, Hunter thought, because a moment later, Sensei told Dustin to stop. His friend staggered away, Shane catching him before he could fall. The older boy quickly found Dustin's inhaler and held it up to his mouth. Dustin weakly waved him away. "I'm alright."

"Thank God," Hunter whispered to himself.

Blake ran to Hunter's side. "What did you do to him?" he accused Sensei.

Sensei ignored him for the moment. "This is very interesting."

"What?" the brothers sullenly demanded.

"You are not as powerless as you would wish, Hunter."

Hunter closed his eyes in defeat. "Just call me Lethal Weapon."

The others began to protest, but then Dustin shouted over them. "Not anymore," he told him from the circle of Shane's arms. "I totally neutered you. And look, no asthma!"

Shane shook his head and then tried to explain the difference between neuter and neutralize while he and Tori finished checking Dustin over for injuries.

Hunter looked down at his own hands and then at the black spot on the concrete where Dustin had been kneeling. "Yeah, you did."

Sensei's hand clapped his shoulder. "We must still work on your control, but I believe it is time to start making plans to rescue your Cam."

"My Cam," Hunter echoed with a weak smile.

"Bro," Blake teased, "You never get to call me lovesick again. You should see your face."

Hunter tried to glare at Blake, but it wouldn't stick. "You are lovesick!" Hunter protested as Blake tried to help him to his feet. "You're just lucky she likes that in a guy."

Blake looked over at Tori. Tori, feeling eyes on her, turned and smiled brightly back at Blake. "Really lucky," Blake agreed. "Come on," Blake grunted, finally pulling Hunter upright. He swayed for a moment, his balance still iffy, but he managed to stay standing. Blake slung one of Hunter's arms over his shoulder. "You look like you're ready for a nap."

Hunter opened his mouth to protest, but then Sensei slid under his other arm. "I believe your brother is right." And then the pair slowly marched him back into the hotel room.

"You're welcome!" Dustin called as they shut the door behind them.

Tori soon followed Blake, but not before she stooped to whisper in Shane's ear, "Talk to him." After talking with her boyfriend last night, she had given Shane an earful about mistreating Dustin. Then Blake had started in. Shane hadn't even realized something was wrong. He had just thought that the stress of everything had gotten to Dustin finally. Boy, did he learn differently.

Tori walked back to the hotel, turning once to give Shane the eyebrow. Message sent and received, Captain, Shane nodded.

"You want to take a walk?" he asked Dustin. Dustin pulled out of Shane's hug to eye him warily.

"Why? You don't want to talk, do you?"

"Well yeah," Shane said, not quite getting it. At Dustin's look of horror, understanding hit him. "No, no, no. Not The Talk. I just haven't gotten to hang out with you yet today." Shane stuck his now empty hands in his pants pocket. "And I kinda wanted to apologize for yelling at you the day before."

"No sweat man," Dustin reassured him, but a weight seemed to have fallen off of the teen's shoulders. "So," he swung his hands. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Honestly, I just really wanted to go somewhere and make out for awhile," Shane blurted out and then proceeded to blush so hard that he was sure his face matched his shirt's color.

"Cool." When Shane looked up, Dustin had a big smile and a blush to match his own.

"Very cool," Shane agreed and caught his hand, pulling him towards the back of the hotel.


	7. Chapter 7

Things were quiet at last, Sensei thought. The past few days had been good for the team. He looked over at the twin bent heads of Shane and Dustin, urgently checking and rechecking a list of supplies. Both had come back from their long walk seeming much more relaxed. Sensei Omino chuckled quietly so as not to draw attention. The joys of youth, he smiled.

Speaking of…He turned to observe the other resident pair. Tori and Blake were curled up on the other bed, watching television. The two fought playfully for the remote, until Tori employed dirty tactics and tickled Blake. He worried for a moment that the shrieking might wake the boy next to him, but there was no need.

The last member of the team was curled up against Sensei's hip, while Sensei pretended to meditate. Now that Hunter's energy was back in balance, he was quickly gaining back his strength. Even though his son had tired from the short exercise today, he would have more than enough energy for the part that he meant for the young man to play.

Tomorrow, the whole team would attack Lothor's liar and retrieve Cameron Watanabe. Tori, Shane, and Blake would be the frontal assault. Dustin and Hunter would act as look outs and back-up. Sensei would be the one to enter the cave and rescue Cam while the team distracted the guards. Tomorrow would be a difficult battle, but Sensei had every faith in the success of this team. Tomorrow, they would fight and they would win.

Tonight, they would spend time rediscovering why winning was so important.

The day that the team set out to attack Lothor was a beautiful Northern Californian day. That is to say, the fog was as thick as pea soup with the promise of a sunny afternoon once the cloud cover burned off. Until then, the ninjas had the perfect cover for their assault.

Hunter shivered in the sea breeze. He and Dustin were sequestered in a small stand of trees just feet from the cliff's edge. Far below was the beach where they had abandoned Cam so few weeks ago.

He watched as the others slipped down the cliff face. Dustin seemed to be tracking a very particular figure in red, while Hunter had to split his time three ways. Tori, after all, was practically family.

Together the small force disabled the front guard without a sound, allowing Sensei to slip inside the cave system. Hunter remembered that Lothor's troops liked to sleep in. With any luck, he thought, they could be in and out before Lothor knew what hit him.

Of course with that thought to jinx them, that would be the moment that everything went to hell. Guards came pouring out of nearby tunnels and the small force was soon surrounded.

Dustin and Hunter snapped into action. Dustin leaned down to immerse a hand in the dirt. A small earthquake roared down the cliff face, dumping rock in front of many of the cave mouths and stopping the flow of enemy fighters. With a glance at Tori, the two of them combined their power. Tori funneled water in a circle around them, while Dustin funneled rock and hard earth out of the circle. Together, they quickly create a deadly moat of quicksand around the beleaguered trio.

Hunter, meanwhile, was playing sniper. He snapped sharp bolts of light at any kelzak foolish enough to stand still long enough. Blake and Shane joined in, crushing the minions between equally hard walls of sound and air. They succeeded in making the number of enemy fighters a little more manageable.

That of course was when Lothor showed up. With a snap to his black cape, Lothor strode out to greet them, dragging to captives behind him.

"Looking for these?" he taunted.

Sensei had a bloody gash over one eye, but Cam was who worried Hunter the most. He didn't seem to notice that he was in the middle of a rescue. Then Hunter noticed Cam's right hand flickering over and out and Hunter relaxed. That was their sign that he was up for whatever came his way.

Lothor eyed the reduced group, then searched the cliffs around the camp.

"Thanks so much for the RSVP, but we seem to be shy a few guests. Let's get this party really hopping!" Lothor shouted until his booming voice filled the space between them. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!"

Hunter nodded at Dustin to hide and then stepped out into a patch of sunlight. "Speak for yourself Lothor. Where is your back-up?"

Lothor slow smile was not as broad as it should have been. "Who needs back-up to practice a little pest control?"

The others weren't coming, Hunter deduced. He could only hope they had been caught in Dustin's cave-in.

"You have something that belongs to me." Hunter somersaulted down to beach below. He had to fight not to stumble after that foolish move, but it was worth the look on Lothor's face.

"Feeling better, I see."

Hunter let a small bit of liquid fire slip out and rolled it over his knuckles like a coin. "Much, thanks for asking."

Hunter spared a quick glance at the other Rangers. Without Dustin's ability, the moat was filling in with dirt. The kelzaks were soon crossing over and challenging the trio once more. Hunter watched as Blake threw a particularly vicious upper cut and then turn his attention back to the monster in front of him.

He was just in time to see Dustin sneaking up behind Lothor.

"It's too bad this Happy Meal doesn't come with yellow," Lothor smirked. "He was always my favorite."

With a sharp jerk, he twisted out of the way of Dustin's windmill kick. The two traded blows, Dustin keeping his own for the moment. Most importantly, he had gotten Lothor to release his hold on the hostages.

As soon as both men realized they were free, they made a run for it. Hunter pointed to the cliff top where he and Dustin had been hiding and then turned back to help Dustin. They managed to push Lothor back towards the caves and then Dustin was able to seal the mad wannabe dictator inside.

They turned to help the others finish off the kelzaks. When those were defeated, the rest of the team streaked up the cliff side to join their teammates.

Hunter took a moment to look Sensei over, but soon left him to Tori's tender mercies.

He walked to Cam's side with a purpose and then pulled him so hard into his body that their impact resounded in the air. He stopped to meet Cam's gaze and then the two devoured each other. Relief added fuel to the fire of their absence and it was several minutes before they could bear to part.

"Hello," Cam blinked.

"You okay?" Hunter tried to look Cam over without giving letting him go.

Cam only moved one shoulder when he shrugged, which meant a busted shoulder for sure, Hunter figured. "I'll live."

That was Cam code for he could walk and talk, so why was Hunter even bothering to ask.

"What happened to you?"

Hunter imitated Cam's one armed shrug. "Sensei gave me a tune-up."

"That's really good news…" But then the rest of what Cam was going to say was lost when a large foot collided with Hunter's back. Cam went flying, but Hunter's momentum was stopped by a fist in his collar. A black gloved hand ripped into his hair and pulled him back hard. His cheek hit a belt buckle and it left behind a small gash.


	8. Chapter 8

Shane watched in horror as Hunter was dragged towards the drop off.

"Stay back you power rejects." His grin was full of shark's teeth as he yanked Hunter off his feet and to his knees. It was enough to pull the ex-Crimson Ranger out of his stupor. Viciously, he began to fight back, clawed hands reaching for any piece of Lothor he could tear apart. Lothor let go of Hunter's hair in shock, but was quick to fight back. Together the pair fought tooth and nail for an advantage while the rest of the group watched in growing horror. The pair was kicking up enough dirt to obscure what exactly was going on, but not enough to disguise the fact that they were moving steadily closer to the edge and open air.

A low kick knocked Hunter on his back. Lothor lifted a glowing black glove in triumph. Lothor smirked at Blake, "Say goodbye, baby brother," and thrust his hand down at Hunter's prone form. Dust shot into the air, making everyone choke and gasp for air as they desperately tried to see what had happened. Blake was the first to move cautiously forward, hands outstretched, groping blindly. It didn't take long to find his brother's body, or rather step on it. "Hunter!"

"Still not deaf, bro." Blake nearly choked him with the hug he gave his brother.

"Never again."

"Until next time," Hunter promised.

"No next time," Cam was quick to add. He made no move to dislodge Blake, but his hand moved to cup the base of Hunter's neck, one lone finger rubbing against the pulse point.

Tori and Shane avoided the reunion. Instead, they slowly made their way out to the edge of the cliff face to check on Lothor. A hundred feet below them, Lothor's body lay like a broken marionette. Shane shuddered away from the sight of limbs thrust into impossible angles.

"Is he dead?" Dustin was the only one who hadn't moved the entire time. His face was white, one hand resting on his beloved dirt for balance.

Shane sensed what was wrong and was quick to gather Dustin up into a full body hug. "Yeah, dude, he is." Gently, Shane turned Dustin towards him. His own brown hand looked shockingly dark against Dustin's washed out complexion. Shane frowned, "Are you going to be ok?"

Tears gathered at the corners of Dustin's eyes. "I don't know. I…" Dustin's hands came up to hide his face and that was when Shane noticed something. There was dirt caked all along Dustin's right hand, the hand that a moment before had been grinding into the earth, Dustin's element.

Shane took a step back in shock. "What did you do Dustin?" His question drew the attention of the others.

"Dustin, Shane," Tori started, "What's going on guys?"

"Dustin," Shane whispered in horror. "What…How…"

Dustin flinched at every new question Shane could not manage to finish. "I'm sorry." He pushed Shane back and then streaked away in a blast of yellow.

"Shane," Hunter looked Shane in the eye. It wasn't a question.

"I think," Shane grabbed for Tori's hand, needing his best friend's support. "I think Dustin killed Lothor."


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Just a small thank you for everyone who stuck through the wait for the final chapters. This is a glimpse of how that beginning fight could have gone and for my sanity's sake, thankfully didn't. There's only so much you can do in a zord (and that would have been an entirely different story).

Shane grabbed Dustin by the shoulder. "Could you do what you did in the break room again?"

Cam shook his head for Dustin. "The walls and floor are reinforced here. Two feet of solid metal sheeting."

"But that ends at the door!" Dustin's eyes lit up with answer. "I can't take more than one at a time, but I could do it!"

"Stay put." Cam told Hunter. Together the rest of the group went to the door. "Dustin, take Shane first."

Shane and Cam watched in amazement as Dustin once again made a fist and pumped it in the air. A geyser of earth answered him. Dustin spared a glance for Cam before he and Shane disappeared in to the hole he had created. That was when Cam heard the heavy tread of booted feet. Ninjas didn't walk like that; Lothor was coming fast.

Cam ran back to where he had left Hunter. "Let's get you out of here."

Hunter barely opened his eyes in response. "Company coming."

"I know."

"Dustin can't get us all out of here in time."

"I know," Cam told him shortly, jerking back on the heavy metal of the winch chain.

"Then why aren't you gone already?"

"Because we're getting out together or not at all." He pushed a button on a panel that tightened the chain until there was no slack left. "Up we go."

The machine slowly lifted them both in to the air. Once they were level with the head of the lion zord, Cam stopped the ride with the remote. As fast as he could manage, he transferred Hunter from the sling to the cockpit of the zord. "I'll be right back."

He jumped from the lion's nose, rolling once he hit the floor to keep from breaking his legs on impact. The winch rolled noisily back in to its usual position after a few hard tugs and by then, Dustin was back.

Dustin was covered in dirt and his chest was heaving from his efforts. He still was able to hear the stomping footsteps fast approaching their position. "Let's go." Dustin grabbed Cam's arm.

Cam shook off his hold. "Get out of here Dustin. There isn't enough time for a return trip and Hunter can't stay on his own."

"I'm not leaving you guys with him." When Dustin grabbed for him again, Cam shoved him hard enough to knock him on his ass. "Go."

Cam slapped a hand down hard on a nearby panel, causing the huge metal doors to close. "Good luck."

Dustin wasn't fast enough to get to Cam before the doors closed. He tried the door override command that Cam had taught all of them that first week in Ninja Ops, but Cam had already blocked it. "Damnit Cam!" He slammed a fist against the doors.

The sounds of those footsteps grew even closer, making Dustin admit a temporary defeat. "I'm coming back," he promised the door. With a whirl of dust he tunneled back through his previous hole and soon he had escaped the nightmarish lighting of the underground hallway for the bright light of the outdoors. Well, half of him did. His bottom half was still fully submerged in the dirt. Crap, he hadn't done that since before he was a ranger. Shane was quick to help him out.

"Where are the others?"

"Damnit Cam!" Shane growled after Dustin told him. He let Dustin rest while he paced, thinking of their next step. "We need to find Blake and Tori." He looked down at a clearly winded Dustin. "When you're ready." He dropped down next to his best friend and twined their hands together. "Lothor's going away for good this time," he promised

Dustin.

Cam's jump from the floor back to the Lion's cockpit woke Hunter from his light doze. "Dustin?"

"He made it out in time."

Hunter moved over to give Cam room on the pilot's chair. "What's the plan?"

Cam took one of Hunter's hands between his own and started chaffing it, trying to warm it up a little. "Well, the doors are reinforced steel and I cut off the main grid's access to any of the zord bay's systems. There's no way for Lothor to get in. We can just sit tight for a little while."

Hunter dropped his head down to Cam's shoulder. "How little a while?"

"It depends what food Dustin left in his zord." They both had to chuckle at that thought. Dustin was notorious for eating in his zord. "Sorry, but I forgot to grab supplies on our way in here."

"We'll manage." Hunter squeezed Cam's hand. "There is a plus side to this."

"What's that?" Cam humored Hunter.

"We'll finally get some time alone together."

Cam tucked Hunter's head down on to his chest. "That would be more appealing if I didn't have to worry about you ruining another shirt," he told Hunter, but Hunter had already dozed off again. He sighed and quickly followed Hunter in to a light sleep.


End file.
